Golden Gate, Triumphal arch and city gate in Vladimir, Russia
The Golden Gate is a triumphal arch and city gate in Vladimir, Russia, built from white stone and carrying a church on its upper section. The construction connects a ground-level passageway with a platform and sacred rooms above.
Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky commissioned the construction in 1164 to control the western approach to the city. The structure survived several sieges and is now the only remaining city gate from this era in the region.
This structure shows medieval Russian military building methods, with a church space above the passageway that can still be used for worship today. Visitors see from the outside the typical features of a combined defense and sacred site from this period.
A military history museum inside displays weapons and uniforms from different eras, with a diorama from 1238. Access is via stairs, and visitors should plan time for the exhibition rooms.
The structure is the last surviving example of gates that once connected Russian cities with Constantinople, and still carries parts of the original gilded copper covering. This metal layer was chosen to draw travelers' attention to the city from afar.
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